High-temperature liquid pulsation dampener



March 1950 c. F. YATES ET AL HIGH TEMPERATURE LIQUID PULSATION DAMPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1946 A o o 1 (Zr-(ll 1. Terra 6140p: .Bflfazrr INVENTOR.

ATTOE/YIY March 28, 1950 C. F. YATES ET AL HIGH TEMPERATURE LIQUID PULSATION DAMPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1946 (tell 1: Zara? flaunt-1?.

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Patented Mar. 28, 1950 ATENT OFFICE HIGH-TEMPERATURE LIQUID PULSA'IION DAMPENER Y Cecil F. Yates, North Hollywood, and Claude B. Nolte, Altadena, Calif., assignors to The Fluor Corporation, Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application August 3, 1946, Serial No. 688,243

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dampening pulsations in fiuid streams, particularly high temperature liquid streams, which under normal circumstances might subject the pulsation dampener to injury by overheating.

The particular type of pulsation dampener contemplated by the invention is the one employing a pressure responsive diaphragm in pressure communication at one side with the liquid line, and subjected at its opposite side to gas pressure in a manner such that the gas undergoes compression and expansion, respectively, as increasing and decreasing pressures, created by the stream pulsations, are transmitted to the diaphragm. Under certain circumstances, where temperature reduction alone is to be considered, the diaphragm may be contacted directly by the line liquid itself. In other instances, where the line liquid may tend to impair or attack the diaphragm not only because of the liquid temperature, but also because of its chemical or solvent activity, the necessity arises for protecting the diaphragm against injury from both high temperatures and direct contact by the line liquid.

In accordance with the invention, the liquid transmitting the line pulsations to the diaphragm is prevented from overheating the diaphragm by subjecting such liquid to cooling, as may be efiected, broadly considered, by any of various methods of cooling the surging body or column of liquid between the diaphragm and the line proper. Where the diaphragm is to be isolated from contact with the line liquid, the cooling likewise may be applied to a body or column of sealing liquid, different from the line liquid, interposed between the diaphragm and the line.

For more complete understanding of the contemplated type of pulsation dampener installation and the above mentioned provision for protecting the diaphragm, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing illustrative of certain typical forms, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section, illustrating one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a variational form;

Fig. 3 shows a further variational form employing plural capacitances; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating an additional variational feature of the invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the line may be assumed to carry a liquid stream in a condition of pulsating flow, created for example by a piston type pump. The function of the pulsation dampener attachment, generally indicated at ll, is to dampen or substantially remove pulsations from the liquid reaching the down stream side, Hla of the line. The dampener ll comprises a vessel preferably in the form of a spherical shell l2,containing a bladder -like diaphragm l3 capable upon full distention of conforming to the spherical shape of the shell, but under normal operating conditions, assuming a deflected condition, substantially as shown. The neck It of the diaphragm is suitably clamped to the vessel as at the inside of a closure I5 carrying a valve it through which the diaphragm chamber 17! is charged with gas under determinable pressure.

Chamber It at the opposite side of the diaphragm is in communication with the line 0 through pipe l9, so that pressure surges occurring in the line are transmitted through pipe 19 to the diaphragm, resulting in its deflections, and consequent compresion and expansion of the gas in chamber 11, all in a manner effecting a dissipation of the line pulsations. For further details concerning the theory and operation of this type ofpulsation dampening system, reference may be had to copending application Ser. No. 631,192, filed November 27, 1945, on Pulsation elimination in liquid streams, now Patent 2,474,512.

By closing valve 20, the pulsation dampener may be isolated from the line l0. At times, as when the chamber I! initially is to be charged with gas at an accurately determinable pressure, it may be desirable to expel liquid from the chamber l8, permitting full distension of the diaphragm 13 into sphericalcontact with the vessel wall. Displacement of liquid from the chamber may be effected by closing valve 20 and opening the draw-off line 2| containing a normally closed valve 22.

Assuming the line In to carry a liquid heated to a temperature sufliciently high to cause injury to the diaphragm l3, the invention contemplates subjecting the liquid intermediate the dia phragm and the line, to cooling within a safe temperature range. Broadly considered, the fluid in line 19 may be subjected to cooling in any of various possible ways. As illustrative, where excessive cooling is not required, the line is may contain a finned tube section 23 from which heat radiation occurs at a rate sufficient for cooling of the liquid reaching the diaphragm.

In the system shown in Fig. 2, the diaphragmcontaining vessel 24 is shown to be connected with the line It! by way of a pipe connection 25 containing an enlarged chamber 26 through which elongated passage contained in a reduced diam- H eter pipe 32. The theory of operation, by analogy to electrical filter systems, of thecapacitancesffl in the illustrated relationship to the line restricting inductance passage 32, is morejparticularly dealt with in the copending application referred to above. Pipes 33 connecting the vessels'30 with line 3 I, may be suitably cooled, as by the described expedients, or by application to the pipes of jackets 34 through which cooling fluid is circulated by way of the inlet 35 and outlet 36.

Reference previously'has been made to the desirability in some instances, of protecting the .diaphragm not only againsthigh temperatures, but also against attack by liquids having chemically reactive or solvent effects upon the diaphragm. Protection of the diaphragm under such condition may be accomplished by the use of an intermediary o r seal liquid in any appropriate structural arrangement, as by introducing the sealing liqu d to a structure of the type shown in Fig.2. Referring to ,Fig. 4, wherein corresponding numerals are applied to the corresponding parts of Fig. 2, the diaphragmmaybe contacted by a protective liquid 31, heavier, than and immiscible with the line liquid 38, the two liquids contactingatthe innerface 39 within the chamber 26, Byclosing valve 40 and opening valve 4| in 'the draw-off line '42 positioned above the chamber, the protective seal liquid may be dis- .placed from thevessel 24'intochamber-26 without loss of the liquid-since only the-line fluid is expelled through pipe 42.

'Anysuitable liquid may be "used as a sealing medium, if 'such be employed, to prevent -the line or system liquid rr'om contacting the diaphragm. Mrelyasillustr'ative, assumingthe systemdiqui'd 'tobe a hdt' oilythe seal liquidmay con- 'sist ofa heavier-immiscibleliquid sues asmercury, water, glyefiri'e, glypol, or "an 'adueou s solution thereof. Where the system liquid isffor' example, fa hot 'aqucousiisolution, by proper arrangement of the gascharged vesse permitting 'the sealing fli'qi iid to ritact'upwarc iyagaibst th'ediaphragm, we. may'eniinlo yjllghtr "salingliquids such a hydrocarbon "or other'oil.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for eliminating pulsations in a stream of heated fluid flowing through a line, comprising a vessel, a flexible diaphragm within said vessel, a heat exchanger providing a pressure transmitting connection between said line and the vessel at one sideof the 'diaphragm and serving to cool the fluid in said connection below a temperature injurious to the diaphragm, gas

pressure beingmaintained against the diaphragm so that the *gas "is compressed and expanded respectively in response to increases and decreases of ,said fluid; stream pressure.

,2. Apparatus for eliminating pulsations in a stream *of heated fluid flowing through a line, comprising-"a vessel, a flexible diaphragm within the vessel, a heat exchanger providing a pressure transiiiittifigconnbcuon between the line and said vessel at one side of the diaphragm, means for passing cooling fluid through said heat exchanger aiata s hq 1m i n c i below a temperature injurious, to the diaphragm, gas

p ess e..be nsma e tie aging h diaphragm 1 ihaiih sis q i ssi tg a ex a pepii i X 1 99? 1 9. inc and decreases of said fluid stream pressure. I

A a usj sli ina n p l a i i a tre m. o meani swin through line, mp n a (955?121? ggbladia h Within said vessel, a pressure transn itting connection between said line and tl' e yessel at oneside of the diaphragm, said cjonnection containing a diaphragm protective liquidimrniscible with the stream, fl id an .fb aeiing the di a m s r Q in%.. l i sai cohnecfion below a tempe ature injurigus to the diaphragm,

gas pressu'ie'being maintained against the diaphragm 9Ii l a ,..ib.. a is ir' e s and xpanded respectively in response to increases and decreases of said fliiid'sti'eam pressure.

.QEQ LF-I AT I M CLAUDE B. NOLTE. metastases can) The following references are of-recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED sures PATENTS 

